


Beginning of an End

by saturninepen



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-01
Updated: 2012-01-01
Packaged: 2017-11-02 14:04:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/369804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saturninepen/pseuds/saturninepen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>No good thing comes to an end without arriving at a beginning.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Beginning of an End

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompt _"Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine."_

Light flakes from a late snow drifted past the window, piling on the windowsills and on the manicured lawns that covered Capitol Hill across the street, but inside the bar, a low fire crackled from one wall, sending waves of warmth over the patrons seated around the room at tables and along the bar.

The bell above the door jingled brightly to announce a new customer, but Hades stayed as he was, sitting on one end of the counter with his back to the door, staring at the wall above the bar while his hands toyed absently with his own nearly empty glass, until a familiarly accented voice broke through his reverie.

“It took me awhile to find you again, you know.”

The stool next to him scraped against the hardwood floor as she pulled it away from the counter and swung onto it, pulling at her gloves finger by finger until they fell free from her hands.

“Hot chocolate,” she called to the barista, dropping the gloves in her lap before turning back to him. “You’re very good at disappearing.”

“Maria—“

The _thunk_ of a mug being set down between them cut him off, and the barista glanced between them curiously, wiping his hands on the rag that hung from the belt of his apron.

“Anything else?” he asked.

She shook her head and reached for the cup, gently blowing away the steam that curled lazily from the hot liquid before taking a cautious sip. She set the cup in her lap, curling her hands around the mug to keep it steady, and dropped her eyes, suddenly hesitant.

“Why are you here?” Hades asked quietly, running the tips of his fingers through the condensation on the base of his glass while he watched the ice melt.

“You left,” she said softly, holding the drink carefully in her lap. She stared down into the dark warmth of the cocoa, her hands wrapped tightly around the mug as she stroked the sides of it rhythmically with her thumbs. “I wanted to know why.”

He sighed and dragged a hand over his face before leaning forward, sliding the glass out of the way and resting his elbows on the counter with his fingers running through his hair.

“You shouldn’t be with me,” he said after a moment’s hesitation. Her lips tightened and her hands clenched around the mug, but she stayed silent, and he carried on. “It’s...well, it’s _dangerous_ , Maria.”

“You’ve said that before,” she said tightly. “You’ve never said why—“

“It’s complica—“ he started to say, but she waved her hand to cut him off.

“But I don’t care,” she continued, her voice softening. “I don’t _care_ if it’s dangerous, _caro mio_.”

She was staring into her nearly untouched hot chocolate again, tracing the rim of the mug mindlessly with one finger.

“And I don’t care what your reasons are,” she said. “When Papà said that you had left...”

She reached out and slipped her fingers around his, the palm of her hand unnaturally warm from where it had touched the cup of hot chocolate.

“I don’t care what your reasons are,” she said again. “But I want you to stay. I want _you_.”

She looked up and caught his eyes, one thumb brushing slowly back and forth lightly across the back of his hand, like she wasn’t aware she was doing it.

“Don’t go,” she whispered, her voice lowering until he could barely hear it over the murmur of the other customers.

He looked away from her to stare at their hands, hers wrapped gently around his where it rested on the counter, her thumb still brushing a pattern across his skin, and his eyes softened; he turned his hand to twine his fingers through hers, still slightly warmer than usual from the mug, and squeezed her hand gently before pulling his hand free, leaving her fingers resting alone on the bar.

“I have to,” he said, looking away.

“Hades,” she said, reaching out to turn his chin so that he was facing her. “Please.”

“Maria, if you were hurt--”

“That doesn’t matter!”

Her voice was steady, but he could still see the pain etched on her face, no matter how hard she was trying to hide it. She reached for his hand again, holding it tightly as if by physically holding onto him, she would be able to keep him from leaving again. His chest tightened as she looked up at him, and he tightened his fingers around hers without realizing it.

“Please, Hades,” she repeated again, the plea catching in her throat and echoing behind her eyes. “Don’t go.”

His protest caught in his throat and he turn to watch the snow falling past the window, trying to ignore the weight of doubt and fear that had settled in the pit of his stomach, warning him against staying, no matter how much he wanted to. Maria’s hand tightened almost imperceptibly as she watched him, but she stayed silent, her forehead furrowing slightly.

“I won’t,” he finally said, his voice quiet as he squeezed her hand again.

Maria squeezed his hand back, the corners of her mouth lifting in a small, grateful smile, and despite the last vestiges of apprehension that were worrying at him, he couldn’t help but return the gesture, unable to deny the wave of warmth that washed through him as her fingers twined through his once more.


End file.
